Who We Are Now
by Kyriana42
Summary: When the team receives an anomaly alert near Jenny's residence, Danny is the first on the scene. The place is found in tatters and Jenny missing. The only clue?A handkerchief with the initials H.C. Helen's back with a vengeance.Set after S3E5.B/S,A/C,D/J
1. The Alert

**Chapter 1: Alert**

**DISCLAIMER:** Don't own, don't sue.

**A/N: Possible Spoilers if you haven't seen Series 3 yet!!!!!**

_A Danny/Jenny, Abby/Connor, Sarah/Becker fic like I promised. (I'm still a die-hard Nick/Claudia/Jenny fan though) No flames please!!_

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Danny lay awake in his bed, he couldn't sleep. Not with all these thoughts turning inside his head. He'd lost his brother to the anomalies 14 years ago, never finding out if he was actually dead or not. Then, by pure chance, his life was turned around, by them.

The ARC and Jenny Lewis.

He decided that he no longer had any reason to be on the police force. It had nothing to do with the excessive amount of paperwork he had to constantly deal with because of his obsession with that house. It was just that after he'd helped Jenny, Connor, and Abby defeat the camouflage creature, he realized that chasing down creatures was loads more fun than chasing after a bunch of juveniles looking for a good time at a haunted house. He wouldn't have to be the loner anymore because he was sure he'd found his calling with the ARC team.

Of course, following Jenny and the others around on a motorcycle didn't exactly earn him any brownie points with Lester, it did, however, come in handy and allowed him to save Connor and the others in many tight spots.

Jenny was constantly telling him to stay away, but he'd taken that as flirting, because to be honest, he fancied her. She was Miss Independent and he was Mr. Wide-Boy (as Lester had once put it) a perfect match. Or so he thought.

The day he broke into the ARC and later became part of the team was the same day they lost Jenny. That day was still so fresh in his head and was the reason that he couldn't sleep as well as he used to anymore.

_After he broke into the ARC, Becker and his men escorted him to James Lester's office where Lester and Jenny had tried to reprimand him for his actions._

"_I warned you to stay away from this Danny." Jenny had said behind him with her arms crossed._

_He turned around to face her, a big grin on his face, "See, I thought we were flirting, it's so difficult to read women these days."_

_Then he was taken to the operations room where he was to stay until they could come up with some way to deal with him. Connor tried to impress him with the anomaly detector which went on the fritz because of some wire mishap. Then the anomaly alert came._

_They eventually figured out that some flesh eating fungus had managed to come through and infected some guy named Bentley and had turned him into a fungus creature. He and Jenny had managed to transport it back to the ARC where Connor had prepared the operations room to freeze it but it had managed to escape into the building and they had to back to the operations room before it could infect anyone or anything else._

_Unfortunately, when he called Jenny to tell her that the creature was on its way to the operations room, she'd given the bad news that she was still in there, he'd told her to get out of there, but by the time he'd made it back to where the creature was he found Jenny fighting for her life in the subzero temperature room and losing._

_Connor warned everyone to stay out of the room because it was to dangerous, but he'd be damned if he let a creature take someone else he cared about away from him._

"_Give me a minute!" he called behind him as he ran into the room with the fire extinguisher and attempted to distract the creature to buy Jenny some time, but even he could see that she might not make it._

_Suddenly, the creature crumbled and the team rushed to Jenny's side. Connor shoved him away from Jenny telling him that Jenny had to freeze just enough for the spores to die. Once it did, they raced Jenny back to the room where they'd viewed the horrible ordeal._

_She was dead. No vitals. They tried their best to revive her as Connor cried praying that Jenny live._

_They got a pulse and she woke up gasping for air and he grabbed her hand._

"_Welcome back." he said grinning widely._

"_Oh, Nick." she gasped for another breath._

_That drove a dagger straight through his heart._

"_He's gone, remember?" Abby explained._

_Jenny looked up, "You can have that back now" she said referring to his hands clinging on her hand._

_He quickly let go and smiled._

_He was later made head of the team, much to Christine Johnson's dismay. He wanted to share the great news with Jenny that Lester was only kidding about throwing him through an anomaly, but Connor and the others explained that the day's events were too much and she resolved to leave._

_He raced to the locker rooms and leaned against the wall as Jenny finished packing her things. "You can't leave."_

_She didn't look at him and continued to pack "I have to."_

_He came into the locker room and sat on the bench. "It's your team."_

_She finished packing and looked at him forcing a smile. "No, it was Cutter's, and now it's yours. I don't belong here anymore."_

"_Of course you do." 'This wasn't what was supposed to happen, he was supposed to join the team and they were supposed to save the world together.' he thought._

_She sat down on the bench "Danny, I died today, I think I should probably quit while I'm ahead." _

"_I know you and I know all about Claudia Brown, and I'm sure there's some perfectly rational explanation." _

_She rolled her eyes, "Yeah, that's what I used to think." _

"_Maybe we've all lived other lives, but what's important is who we are right now." _

_She shook her head in agreement, "You're absolutely right. That's exactly why I have to go. Danny, if I stay here I'll always be looking back wondering who I really am, I just want to go and try and forget about the ARC and forget about the creatures and the anomalies, and most of all I really want to try and forget about Nick Cutter and Claudia Brown. You said it yourself. You only live once."_

_She stood up and held out her hand. He took her hand into both of his as a goodbye gesture and noticed that she placed a piece of paper in it. He let her go. Out of the ARC. Out of his heart. But not out of his mind._

_The paper was a note. It had her number on it and detailed that if anything should happen to anyone from the ARC she wanted to know. Basically, only call her if it was an emergency, not for a date or even a drink._

He glanced at the clock. 5:30 am. Great, he had to be at work in an hour and a half and he still hadn't managed to get a wink of sleep. It had been like this ever since Jenny left and he kicked himself every minute of everyday for letting her leave. He could only hope that one day she'd sort out the Claudia Brown and Cutter situation and come back.

On a more positive note, the only thing that made his life more interesting was showing up everyday to work at the same time as Becker and make his life a living hell by blasting different boy band songs in his car and make reckless decisions.

He didn't personally have anything against the man, it was just that he'd never seen anyone get so annoyed by music the way Becker did. There was one incident that Lester seriously thought about firing Danny for, because he'd manage to push Becker so far that Becker actually destroyed a perfectly good radio; but Danny had convinced Lester that if he fired him, he'd have to put up with Wilder and Johnson for the rest of his career or life whichever came first.

Danny rolled out of bed, got a shower and headed toward a dinner, picked up a couple of coffees to go and arrived at the ARC by 6:30 am.

Just as Danny sat down at his desk and began to put the cup of coffee to his lips Lester interrupted him.

"You're here rather early aren't you, Quinn."

"Ah, you know me gov, always ready to go at a moment's notice."

"Right, just don't expect a bonus because you suddenly decide to show up early." and with that, Lester went up to his office leaving Danny to his coffee.

The rest of the team was there by the time he was finishing his third cup and not a moment too soon as the anomaly detector went off.

Everyone else ran to the detector as Danny casually walked up to it finishing the rest of his drink.

"So, where is it, Connor?" Danny asked.

"Oh my God, it's in Jenny's house!" Connor cried as he turned to look at Danny, he saw Danny running down the hall and probably hopping into a truck.

He looked down and saw a puddle of coffee on the ground and looked at Abby, Becker, and Sarah. "I'm not cleaning it up."

Abby grabbed him by the arm and pulled him toward the garage with the others as they hopped into the trucks and raced toward Jenny's townhouse.

Danny got there minutes before the others and pounded on the door.

"Jenn! Jenny! Open the door!" He kicked in the door.

The place was a mess! The others soon stumbled in the room and gasped at the wreckage.

"Oh no!" gasped Sarah.

"Do you think a creature did this?" Abby asked searching everywhere for claw/teeth marks.

Danny remembered Jenny's number and called it.

They all stopped what they were doing as a happy ringtone went off and Danny found a flashing, buzzing, object under a handkerchief.

"That's Jenny's phone." Connor asked not even caring at the moment that he'd just stated the obvious.

"A creature did this alright, a huge snake in the grass named Helen Cutter." Danny answered holding up a white handkerchief with the letters "H.C." elegantly embroidered on it.

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	2. Missing

**Chapter 2: Missing**

**DISCLAIMER:** If I owned Primeval, then Helen prob would've had a more suitable death. =D

**A/N:** Sorry it took forever to update, I've been busy and lazy at the same time. My sister got married last month and I've kind of had writer's block. LOATR (Leave Out All The Rest) and NRL (No Roads Left) should be updated soon. It's prob gonna take a bit longer for NRL cos I'm not sure about how to go about writing Cutter's oneshot death yet. Sorry it's so short.

Anyways, Enjoy!

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Danny sat in Lester's office clearly pissed off and fidgeting after Helen's little surprise left behind at Jenny's townhouse.

_~Flashback~_

_They all stopped what they were doing as a happy ringtone went off and Danny found a flashing, buzzing, object under a handkerchief._

"_That's Jenny's phone." Connor asked not even caring at the moment that he'd just stated the obvious._

"_A creature did this alright, a huge snake in the grass named Helen Cutter." Danny answered holding up a white handkerchief with the letters "H.C." elegantly embroidered on it._

_Just as Becker was about to say something, they all stopped dead as a scratching sound resounded through the first floor._

"_It's-it's coming from the closet by the kitchen." Sarah pointed out._

_Everyone except Sarah pulled out their guns and cocked them as they moved toward the scratching noise. It was coming from the pantry door just outside the kitchen. As they circled around the closet the scratching stopped. Danny looked at Becker and Becker nodded and raised his gun ready to shoot at the first chance he got._

_Danny used his free hand and swung the door open._

"_What?" Connor asked stupefied._

"_How can there be nothing in there? What the hell was making that scratching noise?" Sarah added._

_Danny went to slam the door shut, but something pushed the door backed and knocked Danny to his feet. Danny struggled against a familiar camo creature as it tore at him. It took Becker, Abby, and Connor a few shots, but they managed to kill it._

_They collected the creature and rushed Danny to the medical bay at the ARC. It took a few hours, but the doctors at the ARC, being the best in their field, they were able to stop the bleeding and stitch Danny up._

And here Danny now sat pissed off that he couldn't save Jenny from Helen. Lester came into the recovery room.

"Well, it's good to see you survived Quinn. I thought I'd have to look for a new team leader. God help us if I had to deal with Captain Wilder."

"Yeah, well, as soon as I'm back on my feet in a few hours, I'm gonna find Helen, find Jenny, and drag Helen back here to rot away in a cell." Danny spat in anger.

"Actually, Quinn, I was informed that you'll be bed ridden for at least a few weeks. Those gashes from that creature nearly killed you. So, temporarily, you will be stuck here to do whatever it is you feel like as long as you don't leave the ARC. Meanwhile-"

"But sir you can't-"

"Meanwhile, Scrappy and Action Man will be co-captains of the freelancing until your well enough to get back out there. All we can do is hope that Christine doesn't find out about this."

Just then, Danny's food came in.

Lester fixed his tie. "Well, enjoy lunch, we'll talk more later."

And with that Lester left the room.

'I'll save you Jenny, I'm not gonna lose someone else, I promise.' Danny thought to himself. He would find Helen and he would kill her if he had to get Jenny back. Nothing mattered to him anymore. Nothing except Jenny.

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Jenny woke up on a cold surface . She slowly opened her eyes. It smelled horrible, wherever she was. The last thing she remembered was Helen being in her house and knocking her out.

Then, she heard it. That horrible sound of the future predators, but also a few other creatures.

Suddenly, bright lights turned on and she was temporarily blinded; but when she could she, her heart stopped. She was surrounded by neural clamped future predators and camoflauge creatures.

"Oh my God, it's just like that warehouse and Leek all over again."

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	3. Not So Bad Or Is It?

**Chapter 3: Not So Bad, or Is It?**

**DISCLAIMER:** You know the drill….

**A/N:** Sorry that this chap is so short, I'll try to make the next one longer. =)

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Danny was lying in bed thinking……about Jenny, about everything that had led up to him being confined to the infirmary. He had been thinking a lot lately and could no longer stand it anymore.

He hated not being able to do anything, being forced to sit here and endure the recovery process while Connor and Becker were out there covering for him and hoping to God that Christine Johnson did not find out and force Wilder on the team as acting leader of the ARC team.

No, Danny had lost and gambled too much to just give up now. He had lost his little brother to a creature, wasted fourteen years of his life searching for answers, quit his job as a detective gambling that he would even be accepted as a member on the ARC team. He even gambled his life and his heart to prove himself.

For what?

Had now, even lost Jenny. The woman who melted his icy heart with her fiery personality and now Helen had taken her away from him.

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James Lester sat in his comfy chair rubbing either side of his head with his fingers. This was getting out of hand.

First, Stephen Hart, a young man who had his whole life and career ahead of him and he had lost his life to the ARC project.

Then, there was Professor Nick Cutter, the arrogant, freelance genius of the group. He did his best to work things out, even if it did violate health and safety most of the time; and in the end he too had lost his life to the madness and was murdered by Helen Cutter, his own wife, or ex-wife, however one might look at it.

Now, Jenny Lewis, a recent retirement of the ARC, had also, possibly unwillingly, succumbed to the dark side of the ARC project. Torn away from her home.

As usual, Helen Cutter is behind the disturbances of the dark side of the ARC project.

The minister was on his case more than usual these days telling him to hurry and find a way to stop the anomaly phenomenon before it gets worse as the cases of disappearances and deaths continue to grow.

There was only a last-ditch-effort that Lester had planned if Connor couldn't find a way to completely stop the anomalies from happening. Connor had managed to find a way to contain anomalies, but not a way to stop them. Cutter had been working on a way to predict them; but Helen had ruined that.

If the anomalies could not be predicted and stopped, then Lester had no other choice than to dismantle the ARC as well as the anomaly project. There would soon be no other choice should another teammate turn up dead; but in Jenny Lewis's case, one had to be prepared for the worst, even if the toughest of the team wouldn't be able to handle the loss.

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Connor, Abby, Sarah, and Becker sat in a coffee shop sipping their drinks with long faces. They were leaderless once again, at least, for the moment anyway.

"How much longer do you think that we can keep this charade up?" Sarah asked worriedly.

"I'm not sure, but we're doing pretty well so far. I mean, we haven't run into Johnson yet so that has to be something good that has come out of it, right?" Connor replied.

Abby kicked him under the table.

"Ow!" Connor rubbed his shin.

"We have to keep this up until Danny can get well enough to take over again. I'm just worried that Jenny's disappearance is going to make things worse for Danny and his recovery process." Abby explained.

"Shh." Becker quickly hushed. "We've got company."

They all turned to see Christine Johnson and Captain Wilder entering the café and walking towards them.

"Well, if it isn't James Lester's freelance staff." She widened her with sarcastically when she said 'freelance staff.' "Where is your fearless leader, Danny Quinn?"

"I don't see how it's any of your business what we do anymore." Abby replied.

"Oh, but it is, because if someone doesn't supply Mr. Quinn with a proper alibi soon, I'll be forced to have him arrested." Johnson replied with a smirk.

"What?" the ARC team asked in astonishment.

"Arrest him for what? He didn't do anything!" Connor replied trying to hide the panic in his voice.

"For breaking and entering a civilian home and ransacking it and if you don't supply me with an airtight alibi very shortly as to his whereabouts, I'll be forced to arrest you with him."

"On what grounds?" Becker asked keeping his cool.

"Accomplices to the kidnapping of Ms. Jenny Lewis, former member of the ARC team.

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	4. Alibi

**DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN, DON'T SUE!!!**

**Chapter 4: Alibi**

They all turned to see Christine Johnson and Captain Wilder entering the café and walking towards them.

"Well, if it isn't James Lester's freelance staff." She widened her with sarcastically when she said 'freelance staff.' "Where is your fearless leader, Danny Quinn?"

"I don't see how it's any of your business what we do anymore." Abby replied.

"Oh, but it is, because if someone doesn't supply Mr. Quinn with a proper alibi soon, I'll be forced to have him arrested." Johnson replied with a smirk.

"What?" the ARC team asked in astonishment.

"Arrest him for what? He didn't do anything!" Connor replied trying to hide the panic in his voice.

"For breaking and entering a civilian home and ransacking it and if you don't supply me with an airtight alibi very shortly as to his whereabouts, I'll be forced to arrest you with him."

"On what grounds?" Becker asked keeping his cool.

"Accomplices to the kidnapping of Ms. Jenny Lewis, former member of the ARC team.

"You have no authority to do that!" Sarah protested.

"Oh, so you four do know that she's been missing?" Johnson replied.

"We don't have to answer you, Lester speaks on our behalf." Becker replied.

"Well, this should be a _very_ interesting meeting with the minister then." Johnson answered as she and Captain Wilder turned and exited the diner.

"What're we going to do?" Sarah asked nervously.

"We beat them back to the ARC and come up with a back story for Danny, because I am so not gonna deal with that lot if they arrest Danny and get rid of Lester." Connor spoke up.

Becker through some money down on the table as the four of them dashed toward the truck. Becker hopped into the driver seat while Connor jumped into the passenger seat with Abby and Sarah in the back seat. However, they didn't notice Johnson and Wilder waiting round the corner in an unmarked car as they followed them back to the ARC.

"Should we call Lester and warn him?" Sarah inquired, her cell phone in hand.

"No, they probably bugged the phones and would be one step ahead of us if their not already." Connor explained not turning around to face her.

* * *

Suddenly, bright lights turned on and she was temporarily blinded; but when she could she, her heart stopped. She was surrounded by neural clamped future predators and camouflage creatures.

"Oh my God, it's just like that warehouse and Leek all over again."

"How good of you to wake up." Helen spoke as she crept out of the shadows toward Jenny, the creatures making a path for her.

"Why am I here?" Jenny asked trying to mask her fear.

"Now isn't that the question of all humanity?" Helen mocked amusedly.

"You know what I mean." Jenny stated.

"_You_ are here because I am going to finish what I started."

"You won't be able to take over the world with these creatures. Cutter" Jenny cringed at saying his name, "proved Leek wrong about that the last time."

"You see, that's the problem, it was Leek. He was so sloppy at what he did, I was surprised that he managed to hide it so well from Lester." Helen mused looking off into the distance.

"But after Leek's little stint, I returned to the future where I acquired that technology and managed to get it modified. Have you any idea how hard it is to get so many of these devices on these creatures?"

Jenny didn't reply.

"It cost me so many cleaners, but it's so easy to replace them that it didn't matter to me if they were killed by the very creatures that I was adding to my arsenal."

"It seems that killing others doesn't much bother at all seeing as how you killed Stephen and Nick." Jenny spat.

"You see, that's the funny thing."

"Since when is killing _funny_?" Jenny replied.

Helen had her knife at Jenny's throat, "well maybe if you let me finish you'd understand. No wonder Nick fancied you, even Danny fell into the same hole. I guess I did very well."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm sure that Nick told you about my affair with Stephen, and then my eight year disappearance."

"He might've mentioned it once or twice."

"It's very lonely traveling in and out of anomalies for eight years by yourself, so I tried to get Nick to come with me when I made the decision to come back; but he refused. He had already found another woman, Claudia Brown. So then I tried several more times and to no avail he gave me the same answer.

Then I got clever, I stole Claudia Brown's DNA and decided to completely erase her from history thinking that Nick would surely come with me then. He still refused. So I offered the same deal to Stephen, who also refused.

Stephen and I renewed our affair, shortly after I fixed time once more so that Jenny Lewis, a near exact replica of Claudia Brown existed, just to mess with Nick because even though I was with Stephen, I still wanted Nick.

Stephen's role was to help bring down the ARC and everything around Nick while your striking resemblance to Claudia Brown brought down Nick psychologically and emotionally. However, in the end, Stephen lost his value to me and I had no other choice." Helen explained

"You killed him." Jenny stated.

"In a way, but it was mostly Nick's fault as I hadn't planned on Nick searching the bunker and finding Stephen and I and the door being jammed. Someone had to go in. And I'm glad it was Stephen."

"Why? How could you say such a thing?"

"I have the ability to bring people back and fill their heads with whatever I want."

"You're not God." Jenny replied. "You can't play that game because you're eventually going to get burned."

"Your concern is touching."

"It's not for you." Jenny replied.

Helen continued. "When I ventured to the future and found out how the future predators and the camo beasts came to be, I realized that it was time to put my feelings for Nick to the side and end it. I figured that maybe if I killed him, it would change the future; but it didn't. I screwed up somewhere. However, there is still much work to be done, and that's where you come in."

"What are you talking about?" Jenny replied her fear seeping into her question.

"You're going to be the bait that helps me destroy the ARC and what I began so many years ago. The fireworks begin whenever the Danny Quinn makes his grand entrance on the stage, that is, if the present I left for him in your townhouse didn't kill him first." Helen chuckled.

She turned to walk away and ordered the creatures, "Guard her, I'll be back later. Oh and Jenny," Helen said turning around, "Try not to move, they haven't been fed yet today."

Hot streams of tears began to fall down Jenny's face as she tried her best not to quiver before the camouflage beasts, which simultaneously kept going in and out of invisibility, and the future predators. All she wanted was to escape the horrors of the ARC and Helen had to drag her back into the mix. This was all so very wrong. And what did Helen want with Danny, that she went through all the trouble of kidnapping and what not?

* * *

Sorry it took so long to update!! It's been a very hectic past few months! ^^;

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	5. Pokerface

**DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN, DON'T SUE!!!**

**Chapter 5: Pokerface**

Connor, Abby, Becker, and Sarah burst through the doors of the ARC towards Lester's office.

Becker stopped off to give orders to security.

"If Johnson and her men show up, don't let them in. If they insist, try and stall them for as long as possible." Becker ordered.

"Yes, sir." The soldier replied as Becker turned and ran after the rest of the team.

Connor was the first through the door.

"Lester, we need to get Danny out of here or something fast."

Lester rolled his eyes. "And why is that?"

"Christine Johnson knows what happened to Jenny and she's trying to arrest Danny and us if Danny doesn't have an airtight alibi. And right now, he's stuck on a bed in the medical bay, how the hell are we gonna explain that?" Connor explained nearly all in one breath.

Lester stood up from his desk, fixing his tie, "I'll deal with this, go and find somewhere to hide Quinn."

Abby, Sarah, and Becker, were ordered to go back to the main operations room and resume their work as if nothing was wrong.

Connor stumbled into the room where Danny was to already see him pulling on a shirt as if he were suiting up to go out on a mission.

"What-what're you doing?" Connor asked confusedly.

"What do you think, Connor? Jenny was kidnapped by Helen, and someone's got to go after her."

"Yeah, but you're critically injured, if the gash gets torn open, you're finished mate."

"I'll have to take that chance, if Jenny's still alive, then I've gotta save her before something worse happens."

"Actually, it kinda already has."

Danny stopped tying his shoes to look up at Connor.

"What?"

"We've sorta got bigger fish to fry at the moment. Johnson will be here any minute."

Suddenly, Connor's phone beeped. He pulled it out of his pocket and checked the text.

"Scratch that, she's already here. We don't have much time, but Johnson thinks that you kidnapped Jenny and we were your accomplices, and she won't leave any of us alone unless you come up with some airtight story that doesn't put us all in jeopardy."

* * *

Jenny sat as still as her nerves would let her. She had slept for what felt like days. The creatures hadn't slept either, their horrible noises and smells, and eyes all creeping over Jenny like Helen had ordered them to.

She had to do something, but wasn't entirely sure how to go about dealing with Helen, especially not since all of these creatures and not to mention the cleaners Helen had in her arsenal.

Jenny almost hoped that Danny and the others didn't come looking for her. In a way, she just wanted it all to end, she wanted to forget about it all, and it just kept coming back.

She had to wonder though, would the torment that only recently struck her, end with her death? If she tried to make a break for it right now, would she no longer be tormented by the ARC, Claudia Brown, Nick Cutter, and all these horrible creatures that existed even in her darkest nightmares?

Would she share the same death as Stephen? Killed by the very creatures they were trying to stop?

Or was this all a dream?

If a big enough shock, say one of the creature lurched towards her, she would wake up, right?

She didn't want to risk it though, she'd rather just hold onto the hope that either someone would come and save her or Helen would just eventually let her go.

She kept thinking about the day she left the ARC. Danny had begged her to stay, but she refused and took off. She'd had good reason, though. Anyone in their right mind would want out after dying via a creature and be brought back to life.

Sure, in the end everything came out alright, but she never stopped thinking about that day and the other two days when Stephen and Nick had died due to Helen's uncontrollable habits and envy.

One could only hope though, that by some miracle, she would survive this ordeal and get on with her life after moving far away. Or maybe just go completely mad and rejoin the ARC team and fight the creatures alongside Danny and the rest of the team.

She wanted so badly to sleep, but the terror of being ripped apart by the surrounding creatures seemed to be overwhelming the fear at the moment.

Suddenly, the worst thing that could ever happen did. She couldn't help it, not at all, her nose was way too itchy.

She sneezed.

* * *

Danny ran through as many possible scenarios as he could to try and protect himself and the team, the team mostly, if at all possible, while Connor walked as briskly as he did asking Danny what he planned to do.

As they approached the doors to the main operations room, Danny turned to Connor and muttered, "Just follow my lead."

Connor gulped, "we're dead."

As they entered the room, Johnson, Wilder, and some of her men were standing in the center of the room holding everyone at gunpoint. Two of the guards cocked their guns at the pair.

"Yup, totally dead, it was nice knowing ya, Danny." Connor mumbled, as he raised his hands in the air.

"Not if I can help it." Danny muttered refusing to raise his hands, for fear that the gash would reopen and bleed profusely.

"I suggest that you raise your hands Mr. Quinn." Christine ordered.

"Actually," Danny began, "I don't think that I have to. See, you're not the boss here anymore, Lester is. He's the only person that we're to take orders from. Now, I think that it's only fair that you tell us why you're here."

"Di-didn't you little team fill you in?" Christine asked sarcastically.

"I'm here to arrest you, Danny Quinn." She replied.

"On what grounds?"

"Kidnapping Jenny Lewis, former member of the ARC and destroying her home." Christine replied coolly.

Danny did his best to retain his cool. "Jenn's missing?"

"Yes, but I'm sure that you'd know all about that since you were behind the kidnapping."

"To be honest, I haven't even spoken to her since she resigned her position here. How certain are you that Helen isn't behind this?"

"Since Helen Cutter has fallen off the radar since Professor Cutter's untimely demise, you were the only other likely candidate for who could've taken her." Johnson explained.

Danny scratched his head and walked toward her, "see, that's the thing, unless you have proof, you can't exactly arrest me or my team."

"Care to explain where you've been lately?"

"Here doing research. You know, that kinda why they call it the Anomaly _Research_ Center."

"What about your team?"

"They went out for some coffee and lunch, I chose to stay behind and do my job. You gonna arrest me for that?"

Christine Johnson hadn't taken into consideration how clever Danny Quinn truly was at talking his way out of things and only now realized how far she hadn't thought this out.

Johnson smiled and cocked her head to one side. "We will find what links you all to her disappearance of Jennifer Lewis and I will be back promptly to arrest you all."

Lester put his hands in his pockets and stepped forward, "Yes, well, good luck on your crusade Christine. Do give my regards to the minister and don't forget to shut the door properly when you leave, I believe there's a bit of a draft in here."

Christine shot a look at Lester, "This isn't over James, I'll be back and then we'll see who's running the show."

Christine Johnson and her men marched out of the building furiously.

After they were gone, Connor, who was the only one who still had his hands in the air asked "can I put my hands down now?"

Lester rolled his eyes and returned to his office.

* * *

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	6. Price To Play

**DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN, DON'T SUE!**

**Chapter 6:**** Price to Play**

She wanted so badly to sleep, but the terror of being ripped apart by the surrounding creatures seemed to be overwhelming the fear at the moment.

Suddenly, the worst thing that could ever happen did. She couldn't help it, not at all; her nose was way too itchy.

She sneezed.

A few of the creatures twitched and even lurched toward her only to fall backwards after being electrocuted by the devices Helen had put on their heads.

"It's a shame really," Helen's voice echoed from the shadows, "They can be really good when they want to be, but sometimes they can be very naughty and even kill; luckily enough for you, I had behavior shocks added to the devices to better control them. Can't have you dying, when the party hasn't even arrived yet."

Jenny sat there shaking from her near death experience, tears falling down her eyes as Helen's laughter faded echoing somewhere in the shadows.

'I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to survive this.' Jenny thought as she stared at the convulsing creatures that had been slightly electrocuted by the neural clamp devices.

* * *

Just as Connor put his hands down, the anomaly alert went off. The team huddled around the ADD as Lester nonchalantly came down from his office irritated that he had to turn around to walk back down the ridiculously long ramp.

"Where is it Connor?" Danny asked.

"Does it matter, Quinn? You can't leave the ARC in your condition especially now that we need to tread wearily now that Christine Johnson is lurking about." Lester interrupted.

"You know, I'm touched you care so much gov, but this anomaly could mean one step closer to Jenny." Danny replied. "I'll be fine, I just gotta ignore the pain long enough to stop Helen."

Connor stared at Danny, then Lester, and back at the ADD.

"Come on Connor, tell us where it is." Danny pleaded his hand pressed against his wound.

Connor looked back at Lester.

"Connor, if you tell him, your fired."

"Lives could be at stake, Lester. We have to go." Connor replied.

"He won't fire you, Connor; he needs everyone in this room. Tell us where it is." Danny said again, facing Lester.

Connor looked at Abby.

"Cutter wouldn't have stopped you." She murmured.

Connor gulped.

"It's-it's at Jenny's townhouse, again." Connor's eyes fell from the screen as he turned to face a terrified Danny and an incredibly pissed-off Lester.

Lester gestured to Connor, Abby, Sarah, and Becker, "You lot go," then gestured at Danny "you stay here. I'm not risking Johnson causing us more problems than we already have."

"I won't let Johnson get in the middle of this," Danny replied. "I'm going."

Lester clicked his fingers and several military men circled Danny aiming their guns at him.

"You will be kept here by force if necessary." Lester countered smugly.

"Oh, you have got to be joking." Danny said raising his hands in the air.

"I've never been more serious in my career." Lester answered crossing his arms across his chest.

Connor looked at the screen again. 'Hopefully the anomaly stays open long enough that we can make it there.'

Suddenly, the room was filled with Weird Al's "White and Nerdy" as a cell phone went off.

_"__I wanna roll with the gangsters but so far they all think I'm too white n' nerdy think I'm just too white n' nerdy think I'm just too white n' nerdy I'm just too white n' nerdy"_

Connor quickly answered his phone while attempting to ignore the odd looks he was receiving from his teammates. He hadn't even checked the number in his embarrassment.

"Hello?" He answered.

"Hello, Connor."

"Helen. How did you get this number?"

"Oh, I think you know very well where I got the number, Connor."

Becker, Lester, and Danny made a move to seize the phone from Connor, who moved the phone out of their reach.

"What do you want Helen?"

"You and Abby have been at this game as long as Nick and Stephen and longer still. Now the original individuals that were involved in the anomaly incursion since the beginning, you, Abby, Lester, and of course myself are about to be engaged in a final battle. Excluding Lester of course, he has no impact on this." She explained.

Connor began typing furiously on the keyboard.

"Don't try tracking this phone, Connor, I'll tell you exactly where I am; as soon as I speak with Danny." Helen added over the phone.

Connor turned to Danny, who was still surrounded by the military men.

"It's for you, Danny." Connor said slowly as the phone fell from his ear.

"Give me the phone, Connor." Lester ordered holding his hand out.

"She wants to talk to Danny. If there's any possibility of saving Jenny, I think you should let him talk." Connor snapped.

Everyone's mouth fell open as Lester's hand fell to his side in shock. A huge grin spread across Danny's face as Connor handed him the phone.

"Alright Helen, what is this all about? Why did you take Jenny? And don't you dare say you didn't because we found your calling card at her townhouse."

"Danny, Danny. I'm not about to deny anything. I simply wanted to let you know that I'm on the other side of the anomaly that just opened inside Jenny's residence, but if I were you, I'd hurry up. I'm certain Christine Johnson and her men will be curious to explore an anomaly that they're not invited into. I mean, who knows what could be waiting on the other side? A simple price to play the game, right Danny?"

"If this is a trap, Helen."

Danny was met with a silence. Upon looking at Connor's mobile, he noticed that Helen had hung up on him. However, the caller id read: "_Jenny Call Ended._"

* * *

Sorry it's been awhile, more to come soon!

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	7. Dangerous Game

**DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN, DON'T SUE!**

**Chapter 7: ****Dangerous Game**

Lester motioned for the military men to lower their weapons and step away from Danny. Danny lowered his arms.

"Just so you know, Quinn, if you die, I'm going to have to hire someone to push Christine and Captain Wilder into the worst anomaly to be found just so I won't have to deal with them." Lester said adjusting his tie.

Connor, Danny, and the others grinned widely.

Danny slapped a hand on Lester's shoulder, "don't worry Lester, I'll do my best."

"Yes, well, don't just stand there, you all have a job to do. Our tax dollars are at work here." Lester replied removing Danny's hand from his shoulder.

* * *

Danny and the team made a quick detour to the armory.

"So, what should we be expecting on the other side of the anomaly?" Becker asked.

"It's Helen, she's always full of surprises; and by the sound of it, I don't think that she'll be waiting to hold a tea party with us on the other side." Connor answered picking up a harpoon gun, examining it.

Abby picked up a tranquilizer as she watched Connor examining weapons to take with them.

It was times like this when Connor seemed to act so much like Stephen it actually scared her a bit. Since Stephen's death, Connor had cut his hair much shorter, buffed up on ammunitions knowledge, and spent every other spare moment studying the anomalies.

Whenever Connor did sleep, there was usually an anomaly alert and she dreaded waking him up because he always looked so peaceful.

_"I can do the action thing too ya know, I'm not just a massive intellect."_ Connor had once said.

It was as if Connor had become this combination of Stephen and himself; but somehow, he was still the Connor she had always known.

Becker, Connor and Danny had packed a few back packs for everyone filled with supplies and some weapons, such as grenades, extra tranquillizer darts, and other equipment.

"I can't believe you actually snapped at Lester like that." Danny remarked to Connor.

Connor smirked, "Yeah, well, I'm pretty sure that after today, I'll be looking for a new flat cos Lester's definitely gonna kick me out for defending ya."

Danny patted Connor on the back, "don't worry mate, I'm sure it'll all work out." Danny looked at Abby, whose eyes fell to the floor.

* * *

Abby, Connor, Danny, and Becker put on the four back packs.

"Where's mine?" Sarah inquired.

Becker turned to her, "we need you to stay behind to work the device to lock the anomaly and also to keep things going should something happen."

"So, you're saying that you're not coming back?" Sarah asked.

Becker grabbed Sarah's shoulders, "that's not what I'm saying, we need you to ensure everyone's safety by locking the anomaly once we go through."

* * *

They arrived at the scene within minutes. Danny was once again the first through the door. Sarah and the others rushed into the townhouse with the equipment and their rucksacks.

Connor looked at Sarah, "Sarah, lock the anomaly straight after we've gone through and unlock it after about two hours."

Sarah nodded and smiled weakly. "Good Luck, guys."

Becker looked at Connor, Abby, and Danny, then walked back over Sarah.

"I don't want to say this, but just in case we don't come back, anyway, there will be some of my best men here to look after you if something already came through the anomaly."

Sarah grabbed Becker's shirt and pulled him into a passionate kiss, which he returned just a passionate.

"Ahem." Connor coughed, "If you're done soulja boy, we've um, got a friend to save?"

Sarah smiled against Becker's lips.

It was an ongoing joke amongst the group. Ever since Danny had referred to Becker as Soulja boy, no one would let Becker live it down.

Danny would turn up to work everyday blasting boy-band music, while Connor would play "Crank 'dat Soulja boy" in the lounge and even attempt the dance once in a while in Becker's presence.

"I'll be back." Becker told Sarah as he kissed her once more and the group entered the anomaly.

Sarah locked the anomaly behind them. "Please come back safe guys."

* * *

Just outside, Christine Johnson, Captain Wilder and some of her men waited in cars watching the scene at Jenny's townhouse.

"So, they did know something about it." Christine mused.

"What are we going to do ma'am?" Wilder asked.

"I think that we're going to follow them and pay our friends a little visit on the other side of the anomaly." She replied.

"Ammunition?"

"Bring it all, God only knows what Helen Cutter could be hiding on the opposite side of that anomaly. Alert the men, tell them to be ready on my signal."

"Yes, ma'am."

Wilder raised a walkie to his mouth, "Be ready to move in at a moment's notice."

_

* * *

_

_On the other side of the anomaly..._

Connor, Abby, Danny, and Becker had ended up in a bunker of some sort. However, there were four different corridors to choose from.

"Well, that's childish, how the hell are we supposed to find Helen and Jenny if we have to guess which tunnel to go down?" Connor asked gesturing to the corridors.

Suddenly, Helen's voice came over a speaker system.

"How good of you all to join me. I even see that you've gone through the trouble of sealing the anomaly to prevent any interruptions. Before you are four tunnels, which means, if you'd like to find Jenny, you're going to have to split up and pick a tunnel."

Then the speaker system fell silent again.

"I guess we have no choice." Abby stated, "We're going to have to play Helen's game."

"Something's not right," Danny stated, "it's a trap, and it's one we have to walk into to."

"Everyone's got a torch and a walkie right?" Connor asked waving his torch and walkie in his hand. "Just gotta stay in contact."

Danny nodded. "Good, everyone, keep in contact with them, if we fall out of touch, don't believe anything you see or hear unless you're 100% sure that it's any of us."

Abby walked over to Connor and pulled him into a hug, which Connor returned.

"What's that for?" he asked.

"Good luck." Abby replied and kissed Connor on the cheek.

She then started down one of the corridors, as did Danny and Becker.

Connor put his hand up to the spot where Abby had kissed him on the cheek.

"On with the dangerous game, then," he muttered as he flicked on the torch and began walking down the only tunnel left.

* * *

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	8. Focus

**DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN, DON'T SUE!**

**Chapter 8:**** Focus**

"You know what to do." Helen spoke to the shadows, as two figures turned and walked off to fulfill their orders.

* * *

"Hello?" Connor called on the walkie, "is anyone there?"

"We read you, Connor." Danny's voice came over the walkie, followed by Abby and Becker's voice.

"Ya know, I was kinda thinking," Connor laughed, "this sorta reminds me of this one comic where-"

"Connor, there's a time and a place and it's not here and no-"

The walkie began to crackle and break up.

"Hello? Guys, you're breaking up!" Connor shook the walkie, but the only response he received was more static.

He froze when he heard a noise not far ahead of him. He tucked the walkie on his rucksack strap and pulled out a hand gun. He aimed the torch ahead of him, pointing the gun in the same direction.

"It can't be." He spoke as the torch fell from his hand.

* * *

"He-l-lo? B-re-ak-i-ng-u-p?" Abby shook the walkie and tried again.

"Connor! Answer me, please."

Abby froze when she saw a pair of legs not far in front of her. She slowly put the walkie away and reached for her hand gun as she pointed both the gun and the torch at the figure.

"Oh, my God!" She screamed, as she doubled backward.

* * *

Abby's screams echoed through the tunnels.

"Becker! Abby! Connor! Come in! What's going on?" Danny shouted at the walkie.

Danny put the walkie away and reached for his sawed-off shotgun. This was not going well. He needed to get out of the tunnel and find the others as soon as possible.

* * *

Becker wandered aimlessly down the corridor.

"This was definitely one of your least brilliant ideas, Quinn." He muttered.

The walkie continued to crackle.

"Something's gone wrong, it's been nearly twenty minutes since Connor, or anyone for that matter, said a word." Becker whispered as he began to run down the tunnel.

He had failed to see the Cleaner waiting for him at the end of the tunnel, who clobbered him the second he emerged from the corridor.

_

* * *

_

_Meanwhile,_

Christine Johnson looked at Wilder. "Move in, now."

Wilder put the walkie to his mouth, "all forces converge on target stat."

Sarah froze in her place, while Becker's men poised to shoot the incoming forces that barged into the townhouse surrounding them.

Christine came walking in, clapping her hands together. "I suggest you drop your weapons, or my men will be forced to shoot."

Becker's men did as they were told.

"Now, maybe you should tell me what's on the other side of the anomaly, Dr. Page."

"Why should I?"

"Oh, come now, don't be a hero. My men don't feel like cleaning up a mess."

Sarah tried to slowly back up.

Christine jumped out of her seat waving her hand in the air. "You know what? I've got an even better idea. You're going to open the anomaly and accompany us to find your little rag-tag group."

"I'm not going anywhere with you." Sarah argued.

Johnson's men raised their guns at Sarah, "I think you will if you'd like to see tomorrow." She gestured to the device, "Now, if you don't mind, unlock the anomaly."

Sarah realized that she had no choice and proceeded to unlock the anomaly.

"After you," Johnson smiled gesturing to the anomaly.

Sarah gulped as she stepped through the anomaly with several of Johnson's men pointing guns at her.

"Watch them; we don't need any of them running back to James, now." Christine ordered her remaining men as she entered the anomaly with Wilder.

* * *

"Where to now?" Wilder asked, cocking his gun and switching the torch on the gun on.

"I-I don't know. I only locked the anomaly behind them, I swear." Sarah replied honestly.

"That way." Johnson pointed as the group headed down the corridor Becker had ventured down not long before them.

* * *

"Y-you-you can't be here. You're dead!" Abby shouted at the figure.

"Things can change, Abby, in more ways than you know."

"You're deceased, Stephen. I was there, at your funeral."

Abby began to have flashbacks of Stephen's funeral, the casket being placed into the ground, her laying a flower on his grave; but here he was, looking exactly as he did the last time she had seen him over a year ago before his untimely death.

He held out his arms, as if expecting Abby to walk into his arms and embrace him.

"Stephen, you-you need to get out of my way, Jenny's life is at stake and Helen could have creatures throughout this place waiting to kill us all."

"This isn't just about the creatures, Abby, this is about _our_ future." He replied.

Tears began to fall from her eyes; those were the last words he'd said to her.

* * *

"This-this is kinda l-like 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers,' except not as cool or fun-funny." Connor stated as he backed away from the figure before him.

"You did a good job by coming here, Connor. The future will be saved now."

"You're not Cutter! He wouldn't have stopped me from saving someone, Jenny least of all! Besides, Cutter's dead! I was there!"

Tears began to fall from Connor's eyes as he remembered that horrible day. "I was with you when you died and I carried you out of the burning ARC. I watched them bury you, Cutter."

"Things can change, Connor."

"So let me guess then, yeah? You're a clone, just like the one Helen used to take over the ARC." Connor did a double take, "the only difference being that you look like you did when Stephen was still on the team."

"You can't change the past, but you can still save the future." Cutter replied.

"Even if you are a clone, you've got to have _some_ of Cutter's thoughts and memories."

"Those aren't necessary."

"Not necessary? They're what make you human, for Pete's sake!"

"What if I'm not human?"

"You are so human, if you breathe, see, and—all those other senses. Anyways, if the real Cutter were here, he wouldn't have stood back, while Helen destroyed everything."

Cutter seemed to look like he was having a realization, when he pulled out a hand gun of his own and aimed it at Connor.

Connor stared at him, gun shaking in his hand, while tears were still fresh in his eyes.

"I really don't want to kill you, Cutter; but if it's to save my friends and stop Helen, I will!"

Suddenly, there was a gunshot.

* * *

The gunshot echoed throughout the corridors.

Abby spun around looking to find the origin and then back to face Stephen, aiming her gun at him.

Stephen was aiming a gun at her as well, "please Abby, don't make this any harder than it already is."

* * *

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	9. Actions And Motives

**DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN, DON'T SUE!**

**Chapter 9****: Actions and Motives**

Christine Johnson, along with her men and Sarah had cleared the tunnel in nearly half the time it had taken Becker. However, they were met by Helen standing next to an anomaly.

All guns were aimed at Helen.

"Well, Helen, it seems like this is the end of the line." Christine announced.

"For you, maybe. You see, Christine, you're messing up everything by being here, so I figured that I'd make it easier for you." Helen explained.

Sarah gasped as someone wrapped their arm around her waist, covered her mouth and pulled her back into the tunnel. The figure turned her around to view them.

"Danny." She spoke.

Danny put a finger to his lips, signaling her to keep quiet as they looked on.

"What are you talking about?" Christine asked.

"You want the future? It's on the other side of this anomaly."

Christine crossed her arms across her chest, "And why should I believe you?"

"Think of it as a peace treaty." Helen replied cocking her head to one side.

Christine nodded to her men signaling them to go forward and inspect the anomaly.

"Why don't we just bring her back with us?" Wilder inquired, keeping his gun aimed at Helen. "She's a traitor against humanity."

"Because that's what she would want." Christine answered.

Then something occurred to Christine Johnson, her men hadn't returned through the anomaly.

"Where are my men?"

"Oh, I would assume enjoying the future."

"Take her out," Christine ordered Wilder.

Just as he was about to fire, a future predator dropped down from the ceiling and tore him to shreds. It turned and growled at Johnson and retreated to whence it came.

"So that's what's on the other side of the anomaly?" Christine asked.

Helen aimed a gun at Johnson, who was completely unarmed.

"Maybe you should have a look yourself." Helen replied. "After all, it's a world you created."

"Stay here." Danny ordered Sarah as he stepped out of the tunnel aiming his gun at Helen.

"That's enough, don't you think Helen?" Danny boldly inquired.

"Oh, hello Danny, I thought you might be hiding out near by. This will only take a minute." Helen answered still looking at Johnson.

"Leave her alone, Helen." Danny said cocking his shotgun.

"If you kill me Danny, you'll never find Jenny Lewis."

Danny took a step forward, but was stopped by the future predator that had killed Wilder.

Helen took this moment to push Christine Johnson through the anomaly, who fell through the anomaly screaming bloody murder as the creatures on the other side tore her apart.

"No!" Danny screamed as Helen closed the anomaly.

"Not much further now, but I do believe you teammates are in trouble." Helen smiled as she disappeared down one of the tunnels.

"Come along, Bob." Helen called as the future predator guarding Danny followed after Helen.

Sarah came rushing out of the tunnel towards Danny, "What did she mean by that? Where is everyone?"

"We had to split up and enter the four tunnels. The walkies went dead and I haven't heard from anyone apart from gunshots and screams."

"Do you think they're still alive?"

"I hope so, if not, Helen will be in even worse shape than she'll be in for kidnapping Jenny. Did they lock the anomaly behind you when you came through?"

"I-I don't know."

"It doesn't matter right now; we don't have time to double back. We have to keep pushing on."

Danny tried the walkie again. "Connor, Abby, Becker, come in. You there?"

The only reply was static.

"Dammit!" Danny yelled tossing the walkie against the wall, inadvertently destroying it.

* * *

Abby wasn't sure what to do, she'd never been put in a situation like this before. Nor was she sure whether this was really Stephen or a mirage. Still, it was living being pointing a gun at her, would she be able to live with herself if she killed him?

"Where are Connor and the others?" Abby asked aiming her gun at him.

"Put the gun down." Stephen replied.

"You won't shoot me, Stephen." Abby said inching closer to him. "We're on the same side, at least we were."

Stephen fired a shot at the ground just in front of Abby, causing her to jump.

He cocked the gun, and aimed it at her again, "I won't miss next time, Abby. This is your last chance."

Abby dropped the gun and put her hands in the air. As she walked towards Stephen, he lowered his gun just enough for her to walk in front of him. Abby took her chance.

She tried jabbing him with her elbow and kicking him, but it was as if nothing affected him. As she went to throw a right hook, Stephen grabbed her arm and pinned both of her arms behind her back.

Abby felt the gun jab into her back, "Ow, let me go!"

"Get moving." Stephen replied monotonously.

* * *

Connor wavered in and out of consciousness. He was being dragged by his collar, somewhere. He felt a sharp, blinding pain in his left shoulder. He reached up to touch his shoulder only to cry out in pain. He was bleeding; he had been shot.

The pain was unbearable, but he was able to tell that he had stopped being dragged and even heard talking nearby.

"Take him to where Helen designated." Cutter ordered the Cleaner.

* * *

Abby was lightly slapping Connor's cheek, trying to bring him to.

"Connor, Connor! Oh, my God, there's so much blood!"

Connor came around. "Abby? Abby where are we?"

"Don't worry about that right now, Conn, we need to take care of you shoulder."

"Abby!" Sarah called running over to the pair with Danny in tow.

"Sarah, what're you doing here?"

"Long story, I'll explain later. What happened to Connor?"

"He's been shot and it wasn't an accident by the looks of it." Abby explained.

"Where's Becker?"

"I don't know; I haven't seen him since before we entered the corridors." Abby replied.

"Abby, it really hurts." Connor mumbled keeping his eyes shut tight.

"Don't let him fall asleep." Danny replied.

Abby held Connor's head in her hands, "Connor, listen to me, you have to stay awake, ok? Do not fall asleep!"

"So, tired." Connor muttered.

"We need to tourniquet the wound." Danny explained taking off his belt.

"It looks like it was a clean shot." Sarah commented, examining Connor's shoulder. "He should be able to make it if we can get him medical attention within the next 45 minutes or so."

Danny tightened the belt on Connor's shoulder, who in turn screamed in pain.

"Yep, that'll keep me awake," he joked.

"We need to find Helen." Danny stated standing up putting a hand to his chest.

"Danny, perhaps this wasn't such a good idea." Sarah noted.

"Helen has Jenny and she's trying to kill everyone! Did you not think that this hasn't crossed my mind already?" Danny snapped.

He noticed the expressions on their faces and quickly apologized, "I'm-I'm sorry."

"Danny, there's ugh," Connor grunted trying to sit up, "there's something you need to know! It's not just us and Helen down here."

"Yeah I know; I watched her execute Christine Johnson and her men." Danny replied.

"No," Connor answered waving his hand in protest, "that's not what I meant. Cutter's down here."

"He's lost a lot of blood, he's probably delirious." Sarah explained.

"No, I saw Stephen, too. He brought me here; though I didn't see Cutter."

"It's not Cutter. Danny" Connor gasped for air, "you can't let Jenny see him, no matter what! Otherwise," he gasped again, "Helen will have everyone right where she wants us, if she doesn't already."

Suddenly they heard a clapping noise, it was Helen.

"Well done Connor." She said, "Except, none of you can be completely sure whether or not Jenny's already seen him or not."

"What are you playing at Helen?" Danny asked.

"Only trying to separate the weak from the strong. Connor just about made the cut had he had the guts to shoot Nick when he saw him."

"What is this all about? What did you do to Cutter and Stephen?"

"Where's Becker?" Sarah asked.

"I'm sure he's around here somewhere." Helen answered.

Sarah cringed at Helen's double meaning.

"Where the hell is Jenny?"

"I guess you'll just have to pick up and move on to find out, now won't you?" Helen asked running off into the shadows once more.

* * *

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	10. Perfect Insanity

**DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN, DON'T SUE!**

**Chapter 10:**** Perfect Insanity**

"Come on, let's go." Danny said.

"Are you crazy?" Sarah asked. "We can't move Connor, not in his condition."

"No, Danny's right." Connor replied.

Abby and Sarah turned to him a mixture of horror and concern spread across their face.

"You're gonna have to leave me here."

Danny took a step toward Connor. "No, that's not what I meant Connor."

"No, I understand. You guys need to save Jenny. If you take me with you, the creatures will catch scent of my blood and immediately rip me apart. No one else needs to die today. Go." Connor explained.

"Connor, we're not leaving you." Abby said sternly.

"Yes, you are." Connor replied solemnly. "Now could you all do me a favor and set me up against the wall and hand me some ammo?"

Tears began to roll down Sarah's eyes, as she and Abby help prop Connor against the nearby wall. "We can't leave you, Connor. It's what Helen wants us to do."

"Yeah? Well, if it is, I'm not gonna go down without a fight." Connor replied leaning against the wall with his eyes shut.

Abby saw hers and Connor's rucksacks nearby and dragged them over to the group.

She pulled out a pair of handguns and placed one in Connor's right hand. Connor and Abby stared into each other's eyes.

"I'll make it out of here alive. I promise." Connor whispered.

"I really, really don't want to leave you Connor." Abby said again.

"There's" Connor gasped for some air, "a headless walkie in my rucksack, could you" he gasped again, "please put it on my ear please, Abby?"

Abby nodded and did as she was told.

"Take your walkie with you; I'll be able to keep in touch." Connor smiled.

Sarah squeezed Connor's good arm, "we'll be back, Connor." She smiled as she stood up and backed up toward Danny.

"Come on, Abby." Danny ordered solemnly.

"No, I'm not leaving him." Abby replied quietly.

"Yes, you are, Abby. Go." Connor ordered.

"I'm staying here!" Abby shouted quietly.

"I said go!" Connor shouted at her, causing tears to begin spilling from Abby's eyes.

Abby looked at Connor for a moment and then crushed her lips against his. Connor returned the kiss.

"I love you," she muttered.

"I know." Connor mumbled trying to hide his discomfort.

"I'm coming back for you, Connor." Abby whispered to him as she stood up cocking her spare gun from her rucksack.

"I'll be here." He smiled.

"Here, you might need this," Danny spoke as he handed Sarah a handgun.

"Connor, don't die on us yet, we'll be back before you know it." Danny called to Connor.

Connor nodded as Danny, Sarah, and Abby walked down the large corridor towards Helen.

* * *

Connor put the gun down and reached over into the rucksack. He pulled out several glow sticks and smacked them off the ground. He threw them in all directions, as far as he could, biting his lip to stifle the pain so no one would hear him.

It was almost as if the lighting in the place worked again; but it still wasn't quite bright enough, though he could see in all directions well enough.

He picked up the hand gun again and tried to force himself to stay awake.

* * *

Danny, Sarah, and Abby came out at the other end of the corridor to a horrible scene.

Jenny was there alright, at the center of dozens of future predators and camouflage beasts.

"What are we going to do?" Sarah asked.

"They've got neural clamps, just like before." Abby stated.

"Before?" Danny asked.

"Long story; but the last time I saw these creatures with neural clamps, Helen was also involved." Abby explained.

"If those creatures go camo, we're finished." Danny reminded them.

"No kidding," Abby replied.

"I need to get Jenny out of there, now." Danny stated impatiently.

He took a step forward, "Jenny!" He called.

Jenny looked at Danny. The term overjoyed to see him was an understatement.

"Danny." She breathed.

Suddenly, trouble came calling.

"Claudia Brown." The voice called.

Jenny's heart sank as she turned in the direction of the voice.

"Nonono, Jenn, don't look, just look at me and follow my voice." Danny pleaded, but it was too late.

"Nick." Jenny gasped.

"That's not him Jenny." Danny explained.

* * *

Connor was starting to black out, when his heart stopped at the all-too-familiar and horrifying noise.

It was a future predator approaching slowly from the corridor.

Connor tapped the walkie in his ear. "Abby? Abby are you there?"

Abby lifted the walkie to her lips, "Yeah Connor, I'm here. What's wrong?" She asked detecting the fear in his voice.

"Nothing, I just-" he gasped, "I just wanted to let you know that I'm gonna have to break that promise I made ya a few moments ago."

"Connor, please tell me what's wrong."

"I don't want you to remember that it-"he gasped again, "ended this way."

Tears were spilling from both Abby and Sarah's eyes.

"It's not gonna end Connor, just," Abby took a breath, "tell why your breaking your promise, please."

"You know, when I joined this project four years ago, and all those bad things happened?"

Abby gulped. "Yeah, Conn, I remember."

Tears began to fall from Connor's eyes, "I just wanted to let you know that I stayed for you."

Abby could hear the future predator's noise through the walkie and now knew why Connor refused to tell her what was going on.

Connor, as steadily as he could dug though the rucksack for one of the grenades.

"Connor, I'm heading back, just wait till I get there, ok?" Abby called through the walkie.

As she turned to start to run down the corridor, Stephen came through the shadows and slammed Abby into one of the pillars. She let out a cry as the walkie fell to the ground.

"Connor!" She cried.

* * *

As the future predator moved closer, Connor lifted his injured arm to help pull the pin.

"Please, dear God, let all those years of childhood softball pay off." Connor prayed."

"Abby? Abby, if you can still hear me, I love you." Connor announced over the walkie.

The future predator lurched forward mouth wide open, as Connor pulled the pin screaming in pain as he chucked the grenade toward the future predator's mouth.

* * *

Helen appeared near Cutter.

"I see you've made it to the party." Helen commented. "However, I see Connor nor Becker made it."

"You killed them didn't you?" Danny asked angrily. "Just like you killed Stephen and Cutter; but then, that doesn't quite explain why Stephen and Cutter are here now."

"Stephen's here too?" Jenny asked.

"You're not very bright, are you Danny?" Helen asked.

"I killed Nick's clone. This is Nick himself, and he's not very happy that you took over his team." Helen explained.

"Yeah? Is that the same story with Stephen? Is that why the great Nick Cutter shot Connor Temple?"

Helen began to laugh, "I told you, survival of the fittest, Connor should've shot him."

The creatures began to stir around them.

"Oh dear, you're upsetting them." Helen observed, "Good thing I've got this." Helen shook a device in her hand.

"What's that?" Danny questioned.

"Shouldn't you be more worried about you teammates? I mean, you've already lost a two of them; and now Stephen's about to kill Abby and poor Sarah's frozen with fear."

"This isn't funny anymore Helen! Stop it now!" Danny shouted.

"Oh, I never said it was." Helen smiled.

Cutter held out his hand, "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner Claudia. There were so many times that I wanted to come and see you, but there was never the _right_ moment."

"Jenn, don't listen to him. That's not you name and that's not the man you loved." Danny begged as he stepped closer to Jenny.

Cutter pulled out a handgun and aimed it at Danny.

A few of the creatures near Danny began to sniff the air.

Helen began to laugh as she noticed the bloody spot on Danny's shirt.

"I see that the medics at the ARC didn't do a very good job of fixing you up, did they Danny?"

Danny put a hand up to the spot on his shirt and looked at his hand. 'This is not good at all.' He thought to himself.

"Since apparently this is between you and myself, Helen, why don't you just let everyone go?"

* * *

Connor rolled out of the way just in time to miss the predator's attack. He quickly covered his head as the future predator smashed into the wall and exploded with the grenade in its mouth.

Connor got slapped with some of the blood and guts of the creature.

Unfortunately, Connor had landed on his bad shoulder and he screamed in pain.

"Oh, God, if I wasn't in so much pain right now, this would be really cool."

Connor pushed himself up to his feet and started to move toward the corridor the others had gone down.

* * *

Update soon! Promise!

Please review!


	11. Get Out Alive

**DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN, DON'T SUE!**

**A/N:**** Wow, 6 chaps in 5 days! That is most definitely a feat for me updating wise! Thank you guys so much for reviewing, it really kept me going! ^^ Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 11:**** Get Out Alive**

Connor stumbled down the hallway as fast as his tired legs would carry him. However, his creature reprieve was about to end. He had luckily snatched a few grenades from the rucksack before he destroyed the future predator; but he didn't want to use them at the moment if it would hinder his plan.

The creature growled, alerting Connor that he was not dealing with the same creature he had just terminated; but one of the camouflage beasts.

Connor staggered against a wall, looking for the creature.

"It can smell my blood, so it's only a matter of minutes before it gets me." Connor muttered to himself, not realizing he still hadn't turned off the walkie and everyone could still hear him.

* * *

"How many situations do you think you can handle at once, Danny?" Helen smiled.

"Shut up, Helen." Danny murmured.

"Becker's disappearance? Dr. Page's fear factor? Abby's slow death? Jenny's confusion? Yourself slowly bleeding to death? Or Connor's imminent death?"

Danny looked around, everything that Helen had just listed for him was now happening.

Stephen proceeded to choke Abby while Sarah watched, gun shaking in her hand with fear.

Jenny stared on at Cutter, who wasn't really even Cutter.

No word form Becker yet; and Connor's chilling message that had just come through on Abby's walkie.

Danny tried to stall, in hopes of coming up with a remotely half-brilliant plan.

"So what's the device for then, Helen?" He asked.

"Oh, you'd be surprised at the number of things this little device can do." Helen explained.

"For example," Helen replied pushing a small button on the device causing the creatures surrounding them to stand.

Jenny cringed, "oh God, not again."

Danny crouched down next to her, "It's ok, Jenn, I'm gonna get us out of here."

Jenny looked at Danny blankly, as if she didn't even recognize him.

"Put the gun down, Nick." Helen mumbled.

Cutter lowered the gun and watched the scene before him.

* * *

One of the pipes lining the ceiling broke off and hit the ground with a clang.

Connor slowly leaned down and picked up the pipe.

"I knew I should've brought the thermal goggles and the damn gun." He cursed under his breath.

He stayed close to the wall and walked backwards further down the tunnel.

Connor jumped as he heard the creature growl and saw its haunting eyes as it leapt at him, knocking him to the ground.

It didn't attack him immediately though, it was as if it were studying him.

Connor froze on the floor, with his shoulder in the condition it was in, it would be next to impossible to get back up on his feet and make his escape.

He started to slowly inch his way backward, while keeping his eyes on the creature, when it leapt at him again.

Connor put the pipe up to protect himself, holding it against the creature with both hands. It tried at biting his face, digging its claws into Connor's gloves and scratching up his hands.

Connor screamed in pain.

"Get off, you, slimy, little gremlin!" Connor shouted as he used all of his energy to shove the creature off him causing it to fly a few feet back.

The creature was instantly back on its feet. Connor sat up and began frantically moving backwards keeping his eyes on it.

The creature started to charge toward Connor and jumped toward him.

Connor wasn't sure whether to shut his eyes or watch his death come at him.

Suddenly, the creature flew backwards and hit the ground stone dead, as a gunshot rang throughout the tunnel.

Connor spun around to see Becker holding a gun and a torch out.

Connor fell on his back, breathing heavily. "It-took-you-long-enough."

"Yeah, well I wasn't expecting to be knocked out and wake up on the other end of the building." Becker replied helping Connor to his feet.

"I had the creature right where I wanted it." Connor stated gripping his shoulder, holding the pipe in his left hand.

"Yeah, so I saw." Becker scoffed. "Where are the others?"

"They went ahead to stop Helen." Connor answered.

"What the hell happened?" Becker asked noting Connor's injuries.

"Cutter and Stephen, but its not them. They're clones or something. It's like they're free thinking, but don't at the same time." Connor tried to explain.

"We need to get to the others, because Helen's got something up her sleeve and it's not a card trick." Connor said after receiving a confused look from Becker.

* * *

As they near the end of the tunnel, Becker turned to Connor, "Go help the others; I'll take care of Helen."

Becker cocked his gun and headed off toward Helen's direction.

* * *

"Ste-phen, st-op" Abby gasped as his grip around her throat tightened.

Sarah ducked as she heard a whistle and Connor swing.

Connor hit Stephen with the lead pipe square in the back as hard as he could.

Stephen dropped Abby as he fell to the ground. Abby inched away from Stephen her hands around her throat, coughing.

"Get away from him!" Connor shouted to Abby and Sarah who backed away to stand behind Connor who was still wielding the pipe.

Stephen didn't move.

Connor looked up when he heard Helen clap.

"Well done Connor, I knew you had it in you." She smiled.

"Stop your crowing, Helen, and let everyone out of here now!" Connor replied sternly.

Helen stopped moving when she felt a gun at her back.

"Hello Becker, I was wondering when you'd show up." She grinned.

"Becker!" Sarah called, "you're alive!"

"Not for long," Cutter replied aiming his gun at Becker.

Becker pointed a second gun at Cutter, "Let everyone go Helen; and then, you're going straight to the holding cells in the ARC."

"Tell me Becker, have you met Bob?"

"Get out of there!" Sarah shouted as Becker barely dodged the future predator that fell from the ceiling toward him.

"Jenny, come on, we need to leave." Danny said pulling her to her feet and towards Abby, Sarah, and Connor.

"But-but that's Nick! He's right there! We-we can't leave him, there's something I need to tell him." Jenny stuttered.

Cutter fired a shot towards them.

Danny grabbed Jenny's shoulders, "see? Do you really think the man you loved would shoot at you?"

Jenny looked Danny in the eyes, "Let's go."

"Thought so." Danny replied grabbing her hand weaving in and out of the creatures till they reached Connor and the others.

They turned when they heard a high-pitched squeal, and noticed the creature that had attacked Becker lying on the ground.

Seconds later, Becker back with the group, "Move it!" he ordered forcing Danny, Jenny, Abby and Sarah down the tunnel back, towards the anomaly.

* * *

Just as Abby and Danny were the last to hop through the anomaly, Abby looked at Danny, pure terror spread across her face.

"Where's the hell's Connor?"

* * *

Sorry, more cliffhangers! ^^; New chap soon!

Please review!


	12. The Good Left Undone

**DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN, DON'T SUE!**

**Chapter 12:**** The Good Left Undone**

Just as Abby and Danny were the last to hop through the anomaly, Abby looked at Danny, pure terror spread across her face.

"Where's the hell's Connor?"

* * *

The pipe fell from Connor's hand as he slouched down on the ground leaning against the pillar breathing heavier than he originally was.

The creatures all turned to face him.

Strangely enough, he wasn't afraid. Instead, he was contemplating.

'I wonder if this is how Stephen died. The only irony of my death will be that I didn't see half of it.' He thought.

A part of him wanted to kick himself for even thinking that; but it was true, he didn't have the strength to make it out of there. He was so tired, too tired to struggle anymore.

The odd thing that struck him was that Helen had not gone after the others, nor had she sent any creatures after them.

* * *

"I need to go back for him," Abby announced turning to go towards one of the four tunnels.

Danny grabbed her arm, stopping her, "I'll go. Go back to the others."

"No, I'm going." Abby replied, "Jenny needs you on the other side of that anomaly; but Connor needs me here."

"Connor is seriously injured," Danny explained, "how do you plan to carry him back here to make it through the anomaly in time?"

Abby stared at Danny. Tears in her eyes, "Just," she sniffled, "just bring him back alive."

Danny nodded, "I'll do my best, now get through the anomaly and make sure that everyone gets the proper medical attention. Have Sarah close the anomaly the minute your through and tell her to reopen it in about 15 minutes."

Abby looked at Danny and jumped through the anomaly. Danny knew Abby all too well and waited a few moments for the anomaly to be locked and then sprinted back to where Connor was.

* * *

"I sup-pose you're gonna kill me now." Connor huffed at Helen.

"Connor, Connor, I have absolutely no intention of killing you, at least not at present."

"Then why are the creatures inching toward me if you have such good control over them?"

"I can't stop animal instincts. They smell your blood and I'm afraid that you'll die soon if you don't make a choice."

"You're afraid?" Connor scoffed, "You killed Stephen and Cutter and you're _afraid_ that _I'll die_? Why don't you tell me what you really want or at least tell me how to stop the anomalies."

"I loved Nick, Connor, I really did; but had he not joined the ARC and helped ruin the future, I wouldn't had to have killed him."

Connor smiled, "So what does that device do and how'd you get it?"

"From you."

Connor turned his head to her fear across his face. "What are you talking about?"

"You see Connor, one day, when you're once again the leader of the ARC team; you're going to make a brilliant discovery that will forever change man's destiny. Now, I have a proposition for you. You can either stay there, bleeding to death on the ground as the creatures get closer to devour you, or you can come with me."

Connor chuckled, he was feeling dizzy from the loss of blood, "I think I'll take my chances."

He pulled out the few grenades he had tucked away earlier.

"You know, if those things get to the anomaly, humanity will never stand a chance." Connor stated.

"What do I care about humanity? My plan worked out in the end."

"What are you talking about? We saved Jenny and everyone but me escaped."

"Exactly." Helen replied. "This whole trap was to get you to come here. Kidnapping Jenny was brilliantly maniacal, I'll admit that, but it prevented the entire plan from being so blatantly obvious! Had I kidnapped Abby, the whole team would've immediately realized who the true target was."

The creatures were getting dangerously close, and Connor prepared to pull the pins.

"What do you need me for anyway, Helen? I'd never go anywhere with you, I know which side I'm on."

"You are going to help me fix the future."

"Heh, like I said before Helen, I'll take my chances."

"So will I," Helen replied looking to Cutter, who approached Connor.

Stephen pushed himself off of the ground and helped Cutter lift Connor to his feet, taking the grenades from his hands.

"Using dead men to carry out your plans, so predictable, Helen." Connor commented.

"Maybe, but at least it saves some manual labor on my part." Helen smiled as they brought Connor forward.

"Now, to leave this place and disappear into the anomaly." Helen replied pushing a few buttons on the device, opening an anomaly.

Connor's eyes widened, "this isn't supposed to happen. It's not possible."

"Oh, I almost forgot," Helen stated as she turned to the creatures and pushed a button that electrocuted them.

Connor looked on horrified as the creatures convulsed and fried from the neural clamps.

"What are you doing that for?" Connor asked horrified.

"They served their purpose. If I need more, then that's what the Cleaners are for."

Helen was too busy relishing in her victory that she hadn't noticed Danny sneak up on them.

"Forgive me," Danny muttered as he fired shots at Stephen and Cutter causing them to fall and drop Connor.

"Ow!" Connor exclaimed a few seconds after he hit the ground.

Helen looked at Danny alarmed that her plan had failed.

"Don't worry, Connor, well meet again very soon." Helen called as she jumped through the anomaly closing it behind herself.

* * *

"Did you kill them?" Connor asked worriedly.

"Just stunned them. They're not the people you knew Connor, we need to leave before they recover. The anomaly's not going to be open much longer." Danny explained helping Connor to his feet.

They hobbled down the tunnels and were about halfway, when Connor's legs gave out.

"Danny, just leave me, please. I've lost too much blood, and there's no point in both of us getting stuck here."

"That's very noble of you Connor, but, I made a promise that I need to keep."

As Danny was bending down to pick Connor up, a camo creature leapt at Danny, knocking him to the floor. It was missing an arm.

"Danny!" Connor called trying to sit up.

The creature tore at Danny's wound, reopening it. Danny screamed in pain, as he tried to reach this gun that was a few feet away from him.

Suddenly, there was a loud gunshot as the creature flew over Danny and smacked against the wall as several more shots were fired at it.

"Next time, stay down." Becker commented to the creature.

Danny forced himself to his feet.

"I thought you might want some help." Becker looked to Danny.

"Yeah, help's always a great thing to have." Danny replied.

Becker hoisted Connor over his shoulder and began to head to the anomaly with Danny in tow.

"We don't have much time, the anomaly's about to close!" Becker shouted.

Becker and Danny dove through the anomaly with Connor, just as the anomaly closed behind them.

* * *

Next chap is the final one!

Please review!


	13. Closure

**DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN, DON'T SUE!**

**Chapter 13:**** Closure**

Becker and Danny dove through the anomaly with Connor, just as the anomaly closed behind them.

Lester was there waiting with reinforcements and several medics.

As the medics helped Becker put Connor on a stretcher, Abby noticed that Connor was unconscious.

"No! Connor!" She shouted as she raced to the stretcher they were taking him out on the stretcher. "Connor! Connor, wake up!" She pleaded, tears pouring from her eyes.

"Miss, we need to take him to the hospital immediately." A medic explained, loading him into the ambulance.

"I'm coming, too." Abby replied as she hopped into the ambulance and it drove off.

* * *

"Danny, you're next going to the hospital." Lester ordered.

"Yeah, I know," Danny replied, forcing himself to his feet. "Just let me see Jenny first."

"You can see her at the hospital." Lester countered.

"Take him." Lester ordered the medics, as they collected Danny and took him to the same hospital.

"Jenny!" Danny called as he fought against the medics to no avail.

* * *

"Right, the rest of you are going to get on the third ambulance to be evaluated at the hospital; while I feed the media some story about an escaped lion." Lester ordered turning to Becker, Sarah, and Jenny.

They nodded and did as they were told.

* * *

Sarah was the only one to come away from the mission unscathed, physically; but what she had seen would haunt her for a long time, not nearly as long as it would haunt the others though.

Becker came out of the examining room and sat down next to Sarah, who rested her head on his shoulder.

"How are the others?" She asked.

"Abby's got a few cuts and bruises. Jenny's had several cuts and bruises, as well as a concussion; but the doctors say she'll be all right. Connor's still in surgery. Danny just got out and he's in recovery. I think Jenny's with him."

"How are we are going to deal with this if we all pull through? I mean, Jenny is going to be psychologically messed up for God knows how long and it'll be a miracle if Connor survives." Sarah replied, tears streaming down her face.

Becker pulled Sarah into his arms and hugged her tightly. "Everyone's going to be fine. Nobody else is going to die today." He explained and kissed her head, rocking back and forth, holding her.

* * *

Danny lay on the bed in recovery. He slowly opened his eyes and looked around. There were bright lights and everything was white.

He felt someone grip his hand.

He slowly turned his head to see Jenny seated on the side of the bed holding his hand. He gently squeezed her hand.

"Did I die and go to heaven?" he joked.

Jenny smiled, a tired sort of smile; but a smile nonetheless. "No, you're still alive."

"Jenn, I'm glad you're ok." Was all Danny could say.

"You saved my life, Danny, thank you." Jenny replied as she stood and leaned over hugged Danny.

Danny held onto her tightly, "I thought I'd lost you." He sniffled.

Jenny broke the hug to look Danny in the eyes. Danny put his hand behind her head and closed the distance between their faces, pressing his lips to hers. Jenny returned the kiss with the same longing that Danny had felt ever since she left the ARC.

"Ahem." Lester cleared his throat. "I hate to break up this lovely reunion, but there's something we need to discuss. The nurses are going to move you to your room now. I'll round everyone else up and we'll discuss things there. Carry on." Lester finished as he walked out of the room fixing his tie.

Danny looked at Jenny smiling, "how's Connor?"

Jenny's eyes fell to the floor.

Danny's smile faded, "Jenny, please tell me."

Jenny looked up at Danny, her expression torn. "He-he's still in surgery, Danny. No one's sure on what his condition is; but the last I heard was that he was in the process of getting a blood transition, because of the amount of blood he's lost. We're hoping for the best; but the doctors will only speak to Lester."

Danny squeezed Jenny's hand, "It's all my fault."

"Don't say that Danny. You couldn't have known this was going to happen."

"No, but it was my job to make sure that everyone made it out of there ok; and now Connor might die because of my recklessness."

"Jenn, there's something important that I really need to ask you." Danny said after a several moments of silence.

Jenny looked at him, "What is it?"

Danny tried to sit up, but Jenny gently pushed him back down on the bed, "Stay still, or you'll end up ripping the stitches, again."

Danny held Jenny's hand, "will you come back to the ARC?"

"I-I don't know, Danny. I've been through a lot these past few days and I've seen so many impossible things over the past couple of years. I'm not sure what to do anymore. I wish I knew who I was and that Nick Cutter and this Claudia Brown business would stop haunting me already."

Danny squeezed Jenny's hand. "I'll understand if you don't want to come back; but I just want to be able to protect you if any of these skeletons in the closet or whatever comes back to haunt you." He smiled.

As Jenny was about to reply, a team of nurses came in began to move Danny to his room as Jenny followed behind them quietly.

* * *

Everyone, but Connor was gathered in Danny's hospital room for Lester's meeting.

"So, this has too be the biggest catastrophe to hit the ARC ever!" was the first phrase from Lester's mouth.

Danny when to say something when Lester cut him off.

"Would someone care to tell me how the casualties managed to climb to such severities that several people are dead, two members of this team of critically injured, and the rest of you are cut and bruised?"

"We hadn't been expecting Christine Johnson and her men to follow us into Jenny's townhouse, take Sarah hostage, and enter the anomaly searching for Helen, as well as us, sir." Becker explained.

"Helen had an army of neural clamped creatures surrounding Jenny and herself, as well as-um, as well as-" Sarah couldn't finish her explanation and everyone in the room knew why.

"Helen had created clones of Stephen and Cutter and sent them to kill us in the tunnel." Abby interjected. "And Cutter's clone shot Connor."

"The rest of Connor's injuries are due to a creature attack." Becker concluded.

Lester crossed his arms, "so it's safe to assume that Helen is definitely out to kill everyone. From now on,-"

Lester was cut off by one of the nurses.

"James Lester?" she inquired.

"Yes, what is it?"

"A word in private, if you please." She replied going back into the hallway.

Lester looked at the team, "you are all to stay here until I come back. Is that clear?"

"Crystal." Danny replied.

* * *

"Connor Temple has come out of surgery, sir." She explained.

"And?"

"The doctors are not sure of his recovery yet. He did lose an immense amount of blood and we are waiting for the progress of the blood transfusion. His injuries were pretty severe; but if he wakes up within the next 24 hours, his road to recovery will be that much faster. If I may ask, how did this happen?"

"It's strictly government business, until he has made a full recovery, all comments will be withheld." Lester answered.

"Thanks you for the update," he added walking back into the room as the team scattered back to their spots in the room.

* * *

"I take it nearly all of you heard that." Lester replied crossing his arms across his chest.

"Sir?" Becker asked.

"Back to what I was saying." Lester continued, closing the door.

"Helen Cutter is no longer to be reasoned with; she is to be shot on sight. She's cost us enough people and money trying to deal with her civilly. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir. I'll go inform the men and have them keep watch on Connor." Becker replied leaving the room.

* * *

Lester turned to Jenny. "Jenny Lewis, I believe you're no longer a part of this project."

Jenny looked at Danny and back at Lester, "James, I think there's something I need to speak with you about."

_

* * *

_

_A few weeks later..._

Abby entered the hospital and took the elevator to floor 5 and walked to room 533.

She sat down next to the bed. It had been nearly a month since the events with Helen in the strange bunker she'd tricked them into entering. Connor had still not woken up from his coma.

Abby held Connor's hand in hers.

"Connor, I'm so sorry this had to happen to you. I did bring some good news though, if you can hear me."

Connor was eerily still in the bed; but still breathing gently.

"Danny got released from the here a few days ago. They said he needs to take it easy for the next few months. Jenny came back to the ARC and she's staying with Danny while she looks for a new place. And Jack moved out, so you can move back into the flat. Maybe, you might wake up if you heard that Lester's been the most worried about you." Abby chuckled a bit.

Connor still didn't move, just gently breathing.

"Truth is, Connor, I don't think anyone's been more worried about you than me. I just want you to wake up already so that I can tell you that I love you, properly." She squeezed his hand.

Tears began to trickle down her eyes when Connor squeezed her hand back.

She looked up to see Connor slowly open his eyes.

"Hey there." She spoke softly.

"Hi." He smiled weakly.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I probably developed spider powers, while I was out."

"You've been out a while, Connor. They had to give you a blood transfusion; but you'll be fine. Let me go tell the doctor that you've woken up and I'll be right back."

Connor squeezed her hand once more, causing her to turn back around.

"Abby, I love you."

"I love you too, Connor." Abby smiled.

* * *

Danny sat on the couch in his flat soaking in the sunshine that was pouring in from outside.

Jenny came into the room with some tea and sat down next to Danny resting her head on his shoulder.

"You know, I could be sitting in my old townhouse really bored right now trying to forget about all of those horrible things. I'll probably never find out who Claudia Brown was." Jenny spoke staring ahead.

Danny put an arm around her. "You only live once Jenn; but all that really matters is who we are now."

* * *

Yay! Two stories completed!

Some people have asked, and there is definitely going to be a sequel to this! ^^ When it will be up, I'm not sure yet, I'm still in the thought process! ;D

Thanks so much to everyone for reading and reviewing! If you loved this story, please check out my other stuff! ^^

Please Review!


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